Today I decided to attack my leak on the top of my engine. I've recently rebuilt the entire engine and clutch. An annoying leak has been driving me crazy. I finally found that the vacuum pump was leaking. I removed it and split the pump halves. The picture speaks. This is a 144000 miles. Much longer and it might have seized.
Glad i found this.

 

I have seen them with age, also seen them like that when they are starved of oil due to oil consumption or leak. See the second link for comparison.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ement-diy.html

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...asons-s-4.html

 

I have been fighting a leak in this area since I purchased the car over a year ago. I resealed the turbo, the oil filter adapter and cooler. I recently rebuilt the entire engine and noticed a lot of oil in this area. I thought it was the oil pressure sensor so I replaced it. I DIDNT replace the vacuum pump because upon inspection it looked like the problem wasn't it. HOWEVER.... after resealing everything else in the engine bay I finally came to the conclusion I should check this out. When I tore the halves of the case apart to the pump I was glad I had caught it in time. It looks like I was headed for another engine rebuild if I had not. SO..... Like the example in your second like, I had 144000 miles on mine and it wasn't making any noise yet. But it was leaking from everywhere making a mess.

 

Yes, you caught it and you would not know unless it was leaking (and you saw it) or making a noise, most people hear the noise first. That's the biggest complaint. Glad you got it fixed, after working on the whole engine only to have it freeze and lock the cam or damage it would be a nightmare.

 

I may have missed it, but was this an N14 or an N18?

 

N14